Every day, New Mexico's small businesses compete with big box stores.

But the playing field isnt level. "Big box" companies can claim their New Mexico profits in states that dont have corporate income tax, such as Delaware. New Mexico is the last Western state that allows big-box companies to use this loophole to avoid taxes and shift the tax burden onto the backs of Main Street businesses like mine. Over the past 17 years, the small business community has generated 65% of net new jobs across the country.1 For every $100 spent at a local business like mine, $45 returns to our community, compared with only $14 from big-box stores.2 While big box stores on average cost taxpayers $468 per 1,000 square feet, small businesses generate a net annual surplus of $326 per 1,000 square feet.3 After nearly a decade of attempts, a bi-partisan vote by the New Mexico State Legislature approved Senate Bill 9 (SB9) to level the playing field for New Mexicos small businesses against big box stores like Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Best Buy. That legislation is now sitting on Governor Martinez desk for signature. We, the under-signed small business owners of New Mexico, respectfully urge Governor Martinez to sign SB9 into law, lowering our taxes and leveling our playing field against out-of-state big box corporations.

1 1

U.S. Small Business Administration, Advocacy Small Business Statistics and Research. http://web.sba.gov/faqs/faqIndexAll.cfm?areaid=24 2 The Economic Impact of Locally Owned Businesses vs. Chains: A Case Study in MidCoast Maine 3 Fiscal Impact Analysis of Residential and Nonresi- dential Land Use Prototypes www.newrules.org/sites/newrules.org/files/barnstable-study.pdf by Tischler & Associates, July 2002

Jill Rounds Owner, jijibags.com Arroyo Seco, NM Lois Duffy Owner, Lois Duffy Art Silver City, NM Kimberly Kiel President, Horizons Sustainable Financial Services Santa Fe, NM Gordon West Santa Clara Woodworks Silver City, NM Linda Lillow Owner, Triple L, Ink Graphic Designer Albuquerque, NM Lynda Aiman-Smith Owner, Aiman-Smith Consulting Silver City, NM Kurt Albershardt Co-Owner, Murray Hotel Silver City, NM Arthur Schobey Owner, Art Schobey Interactive Las Cruces, NM Carmon Steven Retired-Silver City MainStreet Silver City, NM Josh Goldblatt President/CEO, Bluenergy Solarwind, Inc. Santa Fe, NM Jim Graham President, Sun & Earth, Inc Las Cruces, NM Raymond Hamlett Owner, Nancy Jeans Farm Mimbres, NM

Rod Sims Owner, Sims Green Energy Services LLC Alamogordo, NM Tiffany Baugh Office Manager, Sun & Earth Inc Las Cruces, NM Catherine Wanek The Black Range Lodge, LLC Kingston, NM Marlene Patterson President, The Old Town Hat Shop & Accessory Boutique Albuquerque, NM Tony Shangler Owner, Jake & Harleys Cigar Gallery Albuquerque, NM Jacqueline Smee Retired Mimbres, NM Elissa Breitbard Owner, Betty's Bath & Day Spa Albuquerque, NM James Cooke Urban Life Raft Project Albuquerque, NM Cherie Haymes Owner, Remedies Skin Care Santa Fe, NM Sandra Coleman Owner, San Pasqual's Home Dcor Albuquerque, NM Rocky Mondello Owner, Morning Star Screen Printing Silver City, NM

Joseph P. Baca Owner, Baca Broadcasting LLC Las Vegas, NM Ann Siewert Owner, ThreadBear Las Vegas, NM Jonathan Whitten Principal Architect, Jonathan Whitten + Associates Las Vegas, NM Jane Lumsden Owner, Semilla Natural Foods Las Vegas, NM Alana Baker Vice President, Gordon Jewelry Co, Inc. Las Vegas, NM Cathilia Flores Cathilia Flores Consulting, Inc. Las Cruces, NM Cathy Kumar Owner/Operator, Southwest Green Building Center, LLC Albuquerque, NM Cathy Hope Manager, Iris Herbal, LLC Questa, NM Robert Gosselin President, High Desert Brewing Co. Las Cruces, NM Dr. Daniel Allan, MD Las Cruces, NM Andrew Hewes Sole Proprietor, Andrew Hewes Enterprises Rio Rancho, NM Jude Heimel Owner, Jude Heimel & Associates Santa Fe, NM

Ann Cheers Owner, Cheers Pottery Bernalillo, NM Mark Westbrock Branch Manager, Positive Energy, Inc. Las Cruces, NM Doug Abbott Principal Consultant, Intellimetrix Silver City, NM Chris Putnam Founder, NUBU Design, div. of PutnamPritchard Interiors Santa Fe, NM Henry Bruner Owner, Albuquerque Baths Albuquerque, NM Anna Hansen Owner, Dakini Design and Consulting LLC Santa Fe, NM Barbara Gabioud President, TheraSpeech Silver City, NM Lorenzo Perea President, Solar Smart Living, LLC Las Cruces, NM Ernest A Flores MD Psychiatrist Owner, Las Cruces Mental Health Center Las Cruces, NM Pat Gallagher President, Solar Automation Inc. Albuquerque, NM Debra Preusch Office Manager, Millie's Assisted Living Center Silver City, NM

Renee Frank Realtor/EcoBroker, Smart Living Las Cruces - Steinborn & Assoc. Real Estate Las Cruces, NM Craig Wentz Wentz Electric Co, LLC Silver City, NM Rosanne Camunez President, Camunez Law Firm PC Las Cruces, NM

Carla Fernandez GeoStrategies, LLC Placitas, NM Alex Merlino Teres Kids, LLC Santa Fe, NM

Kathe Pass Assoc. Broker, Real Estate Sales Las Cruces, NM

### The New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce is a non-partisan association with over 1,200 business members dedicated to advocating on behalf of clean energy, seizing the green business advantage, and supporting local economies. The NM Green Chamber of Commerce members believe that responsible business invests in people, protects air, land and water, and creates long-term sustainable profits.